


I'll Be Home When The Cicadas Sing

by pinkdiamonds



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Politics, American Politics, Dystopia, M/M, Politics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-25
Updated: 2012-08-25
Packaged: 2017-11-12 21:08:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/495660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkdiamonds/pseuds/pinkdiamonds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John and Rodney stumble onto an American nightmare.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Be Home When The Cicadas Sing

**Author's Note:**

> This story was born out of some of the things that have happened over the summer which include: 
> 
> Politicians claiming that women don’t really die from breast cancer (try telling that to a neighbor who is currently fighting for her life), that women don’t get pregnant from ‘legitimate rape’, and therefore abortion shouldn’t be an option for women that do get pregnant from rape. (About 32,000 of them every year.)
> 
> Christian chicken sellers and eaters who don’t understand or who don’t want to understand that no one is protesting or denying their rights to free speech, but are protesting the millions of dollars in donations to organizations that promote lies and bogus science as regards gay people. 
> 
> Louisiana’s governor, who has made possible a school voucher program that will fund religious schools, with some teaching children that dinosaurs and humans have walked the Earth together, and that most slaves were treated well by their owners, among other such nonsense. In other words, science, both physical and social, that is made up to fit within their version of scripture. This bible based education is being funded by taxpayers.
> 
> Conservative fundamentalist preachers who believe that the government should be killing gay people, or that gay people should be put behind electrified fences. (Guess the world hasn’t seen quite enough concentration camps yet.) Their parishioners that teach their children it’s okay to hate gay people and encourage three year olds to sing their hatred out loud and proud. 
> 
> Those that claim to be good people who refuse to say out loud that these things are not only crazy in a civilized democracy, but wrong, and who silently or vocally support bigotry and hatred and think that calling hate speech free speech somehow makes it all okay.

The puddlejumper exited the ‘gate and Rodney immediately began checking his scanners. John did a flyover fifty miles out from the ‘gate and circled back around in ever smaller circles. It was just as Ronon and Teyla had said; thirty miles out, there was evidence of a once thriving and sizable town, but nothing else. The town was now leveled and over grown, debris still littering what they all assumed had been a killing field.

The planet, Kereth was desolate, and its people, the Edan, gone. The Edan had fallen off the grid at about the same time as Sateda was culled and destroyed. If there had been any survivors, none of them had made contact with any of their former trading partners. 

“Any idea why they were so far from the ‘gate?” John asked. In the Pegasus galaxy, people tended to build close to the ‘gate in order to escape the Wraith.

“None, Major Sheppard. I only remember the elders talking about some kind of magic the Edans had to hide from the Wraith,” Teyla answered.

“Oh, please. Magic?” Rodney said sarcastically.

“Doctor McKay, you know as well as I that advanced technology may very well look like magic. That is why we are here.” Teyla chastised Rodney.

Hoping to prevent another insulting outburst from Rodney, John inquired, “Any interesting readings, McKay?”

“Actually, yes,” he replied. 

“Is it a ZPM?” The hope in his voice was hard to miss.

“No, Major I would have said immediately. Land near the town, that’s where I’m getting energy readings from,” Rodney instructed. “Oh, and keep your eyes open. There aren’t any people, but I’m getting several large animals in the woods around the town.”

Probably Quel,” Ronon grunted. “Big, sorta like a bear. They’re fun to hunt, and they taste good.”

“Dangerous?” John demanded.

“Sure, if you’re unarmed and not expecting them. For us? No,” Ronon said, unconsciously checking several of his weapons.

Rodney snorted and John relaxed slightly. It was clear to his teammates that something was winding Sheppard up. He pressed several symbols on the jumper’s console. “Atlantis? This is jumper one. We’ll be checking in every six hours.”

“Acknowledged, jumper one,” said the disembodied voice. “Atlantis out.”

That got Rodney’s attention. He was hyperaware of John’s moods. He always had been, but that awareness had ramped up significantly since he realized his somewhat inappropriate feelings for John had moved from crush to love. “Sheppard?”

“I don’t know. This planet just gives me the creeps,” he explained as they approached the town.

“The energy readings seem to be the highest from over there,” Rodney said, pointing to the very back edge of the town. 

John found a spot relatively clear of debris one hundred yards or so from where McKay had indicated. The town was nestled against the side of a large hill. From where the debris had landed, it was clear that a home had been built to hide a cave in the side of the hill.

“The energy readings are coming from inside the cave,” Rodney declared.

“Of course they are,” John muttered.

The small group exited the cloaked jumper, and walked to the cave entrance, their guns raised. John flipped on the tactical lights on his P-90 and peered into the mouth of the cave. His tension ratcheted up a notch or two as he turned and caught Rodney’s eye. “This natural or man made?” 

Rodney fussed with his instruments. “A little of both. The cave is about a kilometer deep, and widens out to five meters half way in. It’s seven meters tall at its highest point” The entrance of the cave was two and a half meters wide and three meters tall.

“Radio contact going to be a problem?”

“It shouldn’t be.”

“Okay. McKay, you and I will check out the cave. Teyla, you and Ronon keep your eyes open for Wraith and those bear things. Poke around, see if you can find anything useful. Radio contact every thirty minutes,” he ordered. “You ready, McKay?”

“Whenever you are, Major.”

Sheppard entered the mouth of the cave, Rodney following closely, his powerful flashlight illuminating the way. John made his way cautiously deeper into the cave. When they were about half way through, the cave widened and lights popped on, revealing the smooth walls and floor. 

“I’d say we reached the man made part of the cave,” Rodney said.

John chuckled. “Yeah, no kidding.”

“The readings are coming from the very back of the cave. They’re sort of unusual,” McKay remarked.

“Unusual how?”

“Unusual in the sense that it’s not the usual energy signature,” he said impatiently. He’d thought the word unusual was self-explanatory. 

If Rodney was being this snarky this early on when they were as safe as they were ever going to get in the Pegasus galaxy, John needed to threat access immediately. He’d learned early on how to read the scientist and how to listen beyond his words or tone. “Stop being fucking sarcastic and give me an answer, McKay,” John demanded, as he stopped walking and turned to face Rodney.

“I don’t know, Major. It’s a weird quantum signal that I’ve only seen with the quantum mirror at Area 51, but this is a hundred times more powerful,” he admitted.

John vaguely remembered Rodney talking about a mirror that sent people to alternate realities. He tried to recall their whole conversation and couldn’t. If this energy signal turned out to be one of those mirrors, it could easily explain what happened to the Edan. “Sounds easy enough, McKay. We don’t touch any mirrors.”

They were nearing the back of the cave when Teyla checked in. Sheppard gave her the all clear signal and continued walking cautiously. The passageway that had widened now narrowed suddenly and the man made walls and floor ended, along with their light. The narrow passage opened onto a large natural chamber.

Rodney used his flashlight, scanning the roughly circular room and the end of the cave. He fiddled with his scanner, his expression growing more perplexed by the second. When he began lightly touching the rough rock walls, John flipped on his tac light and surveyed the floor of the room.

Off to the side he noticed a piece of dark leather. It had been overlooked in their initial survey of the room. John knelt, and moved the rotting leather to the side. Beneath it lay shards of a broken pottery, and what looked like a remote control.

He picked it up, wondering what it was for and why it had been left behind. He turned to share his discovery with Rodney just in time to see him disappear into the rock wall. John didn’t think; he leapt up and followed his friend, the remote control slipping from his fingers and shattering on the unforgiving rock.

The controller was the only evidence the scientists from Atlantis had to go on when a short time later Ronon and Teyla discovered their two teammates had vanished.

~0~

Rodney and John found themselves in another cave. The chamber was twice the size of the one they had come from. There was no passage, and they could see the world outside from any point in the room.

“What the fuck, Rodney! What happened?”

“Did you touch something?” Rodney said at the same time.

“No!” John denied. “I picked up something,” he admitted with the next breath.

“Picked up something? What? What did you pick up?” Rodney demanded.

“I don’t know.” John shouted. “It looked like a TV remote.”

“And that would be the controller. Please tell me you still have it!”

John answered Rodney apologetically. “I was a little more concerned about what was happening to you. I dropped it back on Kereth.”

Rodney paced around the chamber, running his hands over the walls. “Okay, think, Sheppard. When you picked it up, did you move any of the dials?”

“No, absolutely not. I picked it up and was going to show it to you. I looked up just in time to see you going through the rock face,” John stated.

“It’s possible that the window was left open and I would have gone through regardless. The problem is that the window back appears to be closed on this side,” Rodney remarked dryly. 

John was glad that maybe, possibly, this wasn’t his fault. “So, how do we get back?” John asked the obvious question.

“We’re going to have to find another controller, or I’m going to have to jerry rig something,” Rodney said, his mouth turned downward as he stared at his scanner.

“Alright. How hard can that be?” John wanted to know.

Rodney snorted, not bothering to mention the numerous problems he foresaw. By silent agreement, they walked to the mouth of the cave only to be driven back in by a wave of heat. “I thought the scanner might have been damaged, but I guess not.”

Sighing, John said wearily. “Explain.”

“This planet is at the beginning of its spring. The temperature is 105 degrees and it’s noon,” Rodney explained. “Greenhouse gases are extraordinarily high. There’s a big city about 20 klicks away with a large population, about a million people. There’s an extinction level event happening outside, Major. I don’t know how helpful these people will be,” Rodney noted.

He took his speculation to its conclusion. “There’s no indication of a Stargate, and if they had one, I’m pretty sure they would have used it already. This planet is toast. If they figure out this cave might be a way off, we won’t get near this place again.”

“How long do we have?” John asked.

“Well, it’s not like the seas are going to boil over in the next month or anything. I’d say several decades - - but this won’t be a pleasant place to live in the meantime,” he reckoned.

“Well, it’s cooler in here at least. Let’s wait until the worst of the heat is over and then we’ll figure out how to get home,” John decided.

The two men slid down the wall and waited for the early evening.

~0~

Mel went to the single window in his quarters and looked up at the looming cliff, just as he had every twenty minutes since the signal had come a few hours ago. He couldn’t make his way to the cave without arousing suspicion, not at this time of the day, and so he’d waited. He kept checking to make sure that whoever had come through the quantum portal hadn’t made their way to the settlement.

His son had already contacted him in case he’d been out in the fields when the signal had come. Daniel had let him know that Stargate Command would be there as soon as it was dark, and he was to do everything possible to keep the traveler alive until they could get there.

This had been the third signal in two years. Twice, Mel and the SGC had been able to rescue the travelers. The first time, the lone woman who had come through had been stoned to death before the SGC even knew about the portal. 

He had another thirty minutes to go before he was due out in the fields. He looked into the small mirror for the fifth time to make sure the device to get in touch with Daniel wouldn’t be apparent to curious eyes, and that he’d be able to press the device unobtrusively if things went to hell.

~0~

They waited five hours before they left the coolness of their cave. The twenty-degree drop in temperature was a welcome relief. They had debated leaving their tac vests, but they carried too much useful equipment to leave them behind. 

John and Rodney assumed they were in hostile territory, and had agreed that reconnaissance was needed before they made contact with anyone. They crouched as they left the cave, making use of the shrubbery to conceal themselves.

They were on a cliff with a large river below them. Across from the river lay a city, partially submerged in water. On either side of the cliff, and behind them lay miles and miles of what appeared to be farmland. They could see nothing but farmland and numerous prefab buildings dotting the landscape along with people working the fields. There would be no way for them to leave without encountering those people.

John took out his field glasses before lying on his belly. “I want to have a better look at that city.”

Nodding, Rodney lay next to him and waited his turn. John handed him the field glasses, and Rodney took a long look, his stomach twisting. “That looks like . . .”

“New York. It looks like New York,” John supplied.

“I wonder what the fuck happened. In a hundred years there won’t be much alive on this planet,” Rodney snapped.

“Planet of the Apes?” John asked lightly.

Looking at his scanner, Rodney shook his head. “I’m not detecting anything nuclear. But partial melting of the poles would explain a good part of the city being underwater.”

“And what would explain anything resembling a city on the Jersey side not being here?’ John rasped. “And I haven’t heard any airplanes. Do you think they fucking built Manhattan and left out the airports?”

“I-I don’t know. But I’ll tell you what else is missing. There aren’t any electric or phone lines either. Not underground, not anywhere near here,” Rodney said.

John stood and held out his hand. “Let’s get going. I think we’re gonna have to figure out to get home on our own. I’ve got a feeling Stargate Command isn’t around to help us.”

They piled brush around the cave opening and then found a way down the cliff that wasn’t overly steep, and was out of sight of the people working in the closest field. Neither of them had a desire to get picked off the cliff on their way down.

Once off the cliff, John held his P-90 down, but ready to be used in an instant. Rodney’s gun, in his unsnapped thigh holster was also ready to be employed at a moment’s notice. 

There was no sense in hiding and the two men strode boldly down a wide dirt road. The people working the field were an odd mix; there were men and women ranging in age from teens to people in their seventies. Children, some as young as three, were helping elders tend the fields. Infants were strapped to backs, and toddlers were sitting listlessly in the dirt, or following their parents.

As they got closer, John elbowed Rodney, and whispered, “Is it me, or is there something wrong with this picture ?”

Hard on the heels of John’s whispered question, a man near them, pointed a boney finger in their direction, and began shouting. “Abomination! If a man lies with another man, they shall both be put to death!”

John looked around to see who the man was talking about, when it dawned on him that the man was talking about him and Rodney. His P-90 rose in reaction to the hostility he was sensing. “Whoa. There aren’t any men lying with other men here,” John tried calming the red-faced old man.

People were starting to drop their farming equipment and walk over to where the man was still screaming scripture. A man came running, and began walking the old man away, as several women fell on their knees screaming.

“He is risen!”

“It’s McKay and Sheppard, come to wrest their revenge!”

“Oh, Jesus! Why are you allowing the devil back?”

John looked briefly at Rodney, already in panic mode, and the two men immediately stood back-to-back, guns leveled at the growing crowd. “What the fuck is going on?” John demanded as half the crowd were declaring them devils, and the other half, a miracle risen.

A tall man ran through the crowd of screaming, crying, and frightened people, imploring them to calm down, to take deep breaths, to tend their children and the elders. His was the lone voice of reason in an overexcited crowd, poised of the edge of religious frenzy.

~0~

Shit, Melburn thought as he ran through his neighbors attempting to calm them down. This was turning into a major cluster fuck. He’d activated the communication device the second old man Anders had started to scream.

Six years ago, Anders had been the local preacher. Once upon a time, he’d preached a fine fundamentalist sermon, but still believed that the highest injunction was to love thy neighbor. Unfortunately, the changes Chase Walker had imposed on the already unrecognizable country when he had taken control of the government three years ago had come to fruition. Things had been steadily worsening for the last twenty years or so, and Chase Walker had been the inevitable result.

Hate the sin, love the sinner had quickly been replaced by hate the sin, kill the sinner, and Anders had been replaced as not adhering strictly enough to scripture as dictated by Walker. Something in his mind had broken, and he now saw sin everywhere he set his eyes.

Mel had stopped praying long ago, but he now prayed that the SGC would get here on time before Sheppard and McKay started shooting, or the mob surrounding them ripped them to pieces. Mel, had of course recognized the two men; he’d spent enough time with them. These two travelers just might hold the solution to many of their problems, and he was determined to save them even if it cost lives.

He made it to the two men, whispering urgently. “The SGC will be here any minute. If the crowd attacks, shoot to kill.” Mel saw relief in Sheppard’s face at the mention of the SGC. 

Melburn felt a strong downdraft as he stood shoulder to shoulder with McKay and Sheppard, and had a scant moment to prepare himself. The pulse of an energy weapon emanated from above, and everyone crumbled to the ground.

~0~

John and Rodney woke suddenly, scrambling for their weapons. They were lying in two narrow cots pushed next to each other, surrounded by familiar faces. “Some one want to tell us what’s going on, “ John demanded.

Daniel Jackson, seated next to Rodney smiled as he took McKay’s hand. “We’re just waiting on Jack. But, it’s - - really great to see you guys.”

“Yes, yes, don’t get me wrong, I like a touching moment as much as the next guy, but we’re time delineated here, people,” Rodney snapped, pulling his hand from Daniel’s.

Jack walked into the small room before anyone could answer Rodney, and before John could complain about Daniel holding his scientist’s hand. 

“So, gentlemen, welcome to the SGC. How are you both doing?”

John tried to scramble out of the cot, unable to do so as Carter pushed him down, running her hand playfully through his hair. He gave her a strange look that she ignored. “We’re fine, General. I think we can get out of bed now.”

A smirk crossed Jack’s face. “Made it to General, huh? Sam, Daniel, if you’ll leave our guests alone, we can take this into the conference room. Claire prepared a meal for us.”

Jack led the visitors to a large room. Bowls of steaming food were on the center of the table, with dishes and silverware stacked near them. Several people in the room had already started eating.

Jack grabbed a plate and took a hearty serving of what looked like a rice and bean dish. “Go ahead, McKay. It’s safe, no citrus.” He waited until everyone had served themselves, before he began talking in between bites of food.

“Daniel will make introductions in a few minutes. Our Rodney McKay and John Sheppard are dead,” he informed his visitors bluntly. “We do have a way to get you home, thanks to Carter. All we have to do is search our mirror for the universe with the same quantum signature as yours.”

Rodney looked up from his food. “Really? You found a way to detect quantum signatures?”

Sam grinned as she nodded her head.

“Let’s save the geek talk for later, folks,” Jack ordered. “We’ll share whatever tech we have with you before you leave.”

“In exchange for what,” John inquired smoothly.

“For your help. We’ll share what we have regardless, but I’m hoping you’ll agree to help us,” Jack answered.

“What sort of help?” John asked.

Jack heard the suspicion in his tone, and smiled inwardly. This John was very like the man he had lost. Knowing how protective his John had been with his people, Jack began putting some of his fears to rest. “Nothing dangerous for either McKay or you. In fact, neither one of you have to leave this facility. We need McKay to finish some work, and then record a Public Service Announcment.”

“This is Antarctica, right?” Rodney chimed in. “Why aren’t we at the SGC?”

Daniel answered. “You’re right, Rodney, we’re in Antarctica, and it’s part of the SGC. Let me get some coffee for us, then I’ll get the introductions out of the way, and explain everything to you.” Daniel rose, and started pouring coffee. He slipped a cup in front of Rodney and Jack, unconciously stroking Jack’s hand before getting his own cup.

Daniel sat and made sure he had both John and Rodney’s attention. “You may know everyone, but I’m gonna go through the names anyway. I’m Daniel Jackson, Jack, O’Neill,” Daniel began, pointing as he spoke each name. “Samantha Carter, Evan Lorne, David Parrish, Cameron Mitchell, and my parents, Melburn and Claire Jackson.

“We’re missing Rodney’s sister Jeannie, her partner Kaleb, Janet Fraiser, and Radek Zelenka. We’ve recalled everyone except Radek. He’s currently being held captive in Helena, Montana,” Daniel finished.

“Why Helena?” Rodney asked in confusion. It seemed a very odd choice to hold anyone captive.

Sam jumped in. “Helena is the capital of the United States.”

Rodney laughed in derision. “Helena, Montana is the capital? Of the United States? Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Afraid not, McKay,” O’Neill barked. “Of course, _we_ don’t report to any government agency. We’re the Stargate Command Underground, the SGC for short. We stopped reporting to the government more than ten years ago.”

John’s eyes widened in shock. “What the fuck happened here?” he gasped in disbelief.

Daniel sighed. “About twenty years ago, Robert Kinsey was voted into office. He had been Henry Hayes’ VP. Unfortunately, we couldn’t prove voter fraud until after he died. Briefly, he began changing some laws, and he had enough on nearly every member of Congress to make votes go his way.

“He pushed back the repeal on DADT, and made it law that creationism had to be taught in school with an opt out for evolution. He was able to appoint three ultra conservative judges to the Supreme Court, and he cut the shit out of countless social programs. He did it all in the name of religion, and every man that has followed him has done the same. That was the start of the end of the United States. 

“His VP was a man named Tim Rimney. . .” Daniel said, glancing at Sam.

Rodney looked up at the sound Sam was making low in her throat. It sounded like a growl. She picked up the story. “DimTim was even worse than Kinsey. He claimed that women didn’t really die from breast cancer among a lot of other bullshit, and after he got elected, he closed hundreds of Planned Parenthood clinics. The end result of that was there was a five-year waiting period for mammograms. My mother died of breast cancer waiting for a mammography that would’ve save her life,” Sam spit out angrily.

Claire rose from her seat and went to Samantha, pushing back her hair, and holding her close.

Mel, knowing that everyone at the table was feeling Sam’s pain, continued the story. They had to make these two visitors understand how bad things were so that they would agree to help. “Rimney did a lot of damage, gentlemen. He claimed global warming was made up, and he pushed back civil rights for most Americans. He deported every illegal immigrant he could find, and he closed our borders. He took care of his rich buddies, while poor people were dying from starvation and lack of medical care.

There were some of us who saw the handwriting on the wall, and we wanted a better life for ourselves, so we started making plans, and feeling out those who were like-minded. We didn’t know it at the time, but there were other plans underway to undermine all the stuff that was happening. I think Jack has a better understanding of that,” Mel said, turning to the younger man.

Echoing his lover’s sigh, Jack began talking, starting earlier in the story. “During World War Two, a man named Doctor Ernest Littlefield went through the Stargate. It was sheer luck that they managed to get a dial in. He was gone for five hours, and when he came back he had a bunch of tech with him that no one could figure out.” Jack paused to sip at his coffee.

Looking around the room, he saw the intense faces of his unit, his family really. He knew how much was riding on McKay helping them complete the work that his Rodney had started. He assumed that these two men were also lovers, and wondered how things worked in their universe. Jack had resorted to some extreme methods to make a cohesive unit. It was unorthodox to say the least, but it had worked. He had a team ready to live and die for each other, bound by blood and love.

“So, Rimney just started his first term, and I’m retired from the Air Force,” Jack said, not getting into the reasons for his retirement. “I get pulled out of retirement by an old commander and assigned to some top secret Sci-Fi program. I meet Daniel Jackson, and he gets the ‘gate working, and we go through it for a few years, setting up outposts on uninhabited worlds. General Hammond, being a sly, cynical bastard thought it might be needed. We withheld most of the tech we found, and gave Rimney and his watchdogs just enough to keep the Program up and running.”

“Wait,” John interrupted. “No Goa’uld? No bad guys in over the top costumes?” He didn’t bother to mention the Ori or the Wraith.

“Uh, no,” Daniel said. “We found all sorts of leftover tech, but mostly on uninhabited planets. We did meet a number of cultures, all low tech, mostly farmers.”

“Lucky for us. If we hadn’t met those people, we would’ve starved by now,” Sam said. “It’s not like there’s a grocery store down the block.”

“Good point,” McKay muttered.

“Anyway,” Jack said, ignoring the interruption. “We start hearing rumors that the VP, Bryan Peters is planning on having Rimney assassinated. Now, you’d think that’d be a good thing, but Peters was even worse.”

“Are you telling me the Vice President of the United States planned a presidential assassination?” John asked the room at large in disbelief.

Nodding, Jack continued, “Two weeks after Rimney is elected for his second term, he’s shot and killed. With a little help from us, the country was in utter chaos for nearly twenty-four hours. We needed to buy some time. Thankfully, General Vidrine was in place and he managed to scrub the entire Stargate Program so Peters never got to know about it,” Jack recounted.

John whistled. “Was everyone in the know on your side?”

Jack smiled a smile that sent shivers down Rodney’s spine. “Everyone except Hank Landry. He was an unfortunate casualty.”

“I knew there was a reason I never liked that son of a bitch,” John exclaimed, his grin nearly as bloodthirsty as Jack’s had been.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed. “If you’ve got a Landry in your universe, don’t trust him. He’s a snake. Anyway, Peters’ blames the assassination on the Muslims, and uses that as an excuse to bomb the shit out of the Middle East, and China, who was accused of funding the assassination.”

“Not nuclear,” Rodney remarked. “There’s no evidence that there were any nuclear explosions within the last fifty years in the atmosphere.”

“No, not nuclear,” Jack shook his head. “We aren’t completely sure what sort of bombs were used. During Rimney’s term, science of all kinds was put on the back burner. For the average person, that is. But, he had his pet scientists and a practically unlimited budget. His pet scientists developed a weapon that had the unintended consequence of drastically accelerating global warming.”

Evan got up and set a computer up in front of John and Rodney. He found the file and clicked on it. A series of bomb drops were shown, the United States flag visible on every plane. Flyovers with US helicopters showed the flattened, devastated landscape. Nothing had survived.

“Rodney and John were on their way to do some research on the east coast when they were killed. That was two years ago. 

“The US lost every ally it had after the bombing. Peters was a two term President, if you can believe that. His VP was a guy called Chase Walker. He’s been in office for three years now. Under Rimney, gays, teachers who didn’t tow the line, liberals, anyone who wasn’t Christian, and other so-called subversives were jailed, and ‘re-educated’. If the re-education took, they were released, if it didn’t, they were just kept in jail,” Jack explained.

His handsome face took on a hard expression. “When Walker got into office, policy changed again. If the subversives couldn’t be educated, they were executed,” he stated. O’Neill had lost more than a few friends during the last purge, including his ex-wife, Sara. He was still bitter, and hell-bent on revenge. “And if that wasn’t enough, the infant mortality rate in the US currently stands at 350 deaths for every 1,000 babies born. There is no more birth control, and life expectancy for most of the population has dropped to age 50. 

“Walker also established Martial Law, and he canceled elections “for the safety of the American people”. The riots killed millions, and after all was said and done, the population was cut by two thirds in the US. We don’t have accurate figures for the rest of the world, but I doubt they’re faring any better given how many were killed in the bombings, and the outcome of the bombings,” Jack intoned. 

“And, here we are in the United States, which is now a theocracy.” Mel stated. “Most of the people live at the technological level of the late 19th century, and they don’t have access to doctors or medicine, while those at the top of the food chain are living like the emperors of old,” Mel finished.

“I don’t understand how you let it get this bad,” Rodney yelled, his hands waving in outraged disbelief. “You could have stopped this at any point. Why didn’t you?”

Mel answered. “It happened slowly in one region at a time, Rodney. We’ve condensed it for you. By the time the more progressive areas of the country figured it out, it was too late. Laws were being made so fast, there was no fighting it. When people did start to fight back, Martial Law gave the military the right to stop the protesters by any means necessary.”

Rodney looked around the table, unable to believe what he was hearing. He was a rational man of science. He loved the freedom to explore the unknown. The realization that a country and a world had been destroyed because of religion and the cessation of scientific exploration stunned him into near silence. “How did you guys get together,” he inquired sadly.

Jack addressed John. “Like any other resistance movement. We recruited. We had people in place at the highest levels of the new regime, and they’d give us the heads-up whenever someone important was being targeted.”

“You kept the cells small?” John assumed.

“Yup, except for my unit,” Jack agreed. “We’re the premier unit, and we head up the entire operation. When we got McKay and Carter, they figured out that some of the things Doctor Littlefield had brought back with him were an energy source for the Stargate. That made things a lot easier money wise. We didn’t avail ourselves of the tech until we went rogue.”

John slouched back in his seat casually. “How many energy sources did Littlefield bring back?”

“Ten,” Jack replied. 

Rodney was getting ready to open his mouth when he caught sight of Sheppard’s face, which had closed down. Instead of begging for what he was sure was a ZedPM, he tried to redirect the conversation. “Assuming we agree to help you, what are you planning?” he asked. He was still confused as to why the SGC hadn’t stepped in before now, and wasn’t willing to trust them without more information.

Jack smirked. “As soon as you finish up the work our McKay started, we’re gonna take out Walker. The work we need from you involves tech that can reverse global warming, “ he said, laying out his plan. “And then we’re going to take control of the government, work towards reestablishing elections and a democracy, and bring back the thousands of people we’ve managed to save,”

An eyebrow raised, John grunted, “Saved? What do you mean?”

Cameron, who had been sitting back and observing spoke. “We didn’t just save people the government targeted. A lot of our people have put their lives on the line to get people to safety.” Cameron’s southern accent dripped sugar and disdain in equal measure.

John had known Cam in his reality, and recognized how angry he was. “No offense meant, Cam. We’re playing catch up and we’re just trying to understand how you guys got here.”

Backing off, Cam silently acknowledged John’s point. “With very few exceptions, our people have gone into communities to teach basic skills, or to work. It isn’t that hard to pick up on the gay kids or the really bright ones that are questioning too much for their health, along with any adults who are obviously faking belief. Our operatives tell us which people to grab, and we take them.”

“Take them where?” John questioned.

“To the outposts. We give the kids an education, and keep them alive. We put the adults in the fields or the classrooms if they’re qualified. But they deserve more than what we can give them,” Daniel spoke up. “They deserve to have their families.”

Rodney was shocked. “And no one protested this - - this wholesale kidnapping?”

“At first, yes,” Daniel said mildly. “Now people fall into two camps. The ones that are happy their troublemaking kids or relatives are gone, and those that are grateful their family members are being kept safe. The SGC is like an urban myth now, sorta like the Lone Ranger.”

At that, John snorted. “I’d like to discuss this privately with Rodney.”

Daniel’s eyes snapped to his lover’s, warning him silently not to protest.

Jack stood. “Come on. I’ll take you to your quarters.”

~0~

The two men closed the door firmly behind them. “Do you think they really found ten Zeds?” Rodney demanded the moment the door was shut. 

“Yeah. I do. The question is, can we get one of them and are you willing to fix whatever it is they want fixed?” John answered.

“I don’t know, John. Do you trust them?” Rodney sat wearily on the double bed and yanked his boots off. Their tac vests and weapons remained in the infirmary, and Rodney was too exhausted for more than mild paranoia.

“It’s a hell of a story. Based on what we saw back at the cave, it’s hard to believe that they’re the bad guys,” Sheppard opined.

“I know the Wraith are fucked up, but I always knew that Earth was still there, even with all its problems. This Earth is doomed unless they can reverse the global warming,” Rodney said.

“Do you think you can do it?” John asked.

“Maybe. Probably. I won’t know until I take a look. But what’s the point of reversing global warming if we leave these people living in the 19th century? And with a weapon that can cause mass extinction?” Rodney’s bruised eyes found John, as he slumped on the bed.

“I don’t think O’Neill’s willing to do anything until they have a solution in place. I also think we need to sleep before we make any decisions, Rodney. It’s been a long fucking day,” John rasped.

“Yeah, it has been,” Rodney agreed. 

Neither man commented on the fact that they were provided with a double bed only. They took turns showering in the tiny stall, and donned the sleep clothes that had been provided before climbing into the bed, and falling asleep.

~0~

John startled awake six hours after he’d fallen asleep to find Rodney tucked snuggly in his arms. He lay there thinking about what they had been told yesterday, and coming up with a strategy to get home safely. Rodney was still deeply asleep and John took ruthless advantage of the fact, cradling him and breathing in his scent.

He was aware of Rodney’s feelings. McKay couldn’t keep a secret from him if he tried. He’d ignored his own growing feelings, along with Rodney’s. The rules and regs kept getting in his way, along with his fear of losing someone he cared about. 

Now he wondered if he could put his fears aside. He’d just had a thorough education about where fear could lead, and it didn’t make a pretty picture. Before Jack had shown them to their quarters, Daniel had told him that this universe’s John and Rodney had been two of the most wanted criminals in the country. They were practicing homosexuals, John was accused of deserting the Air Force, and Rodney had been a scientist who refused to bow down to religious doctrine. They’d wanted him to make sure his results would fit within the parameters of doctrine, something he scoffed at. 

Because Rodney was Rodney, and John was gay, they’d both joined the SGC Underground eagerly. Jack had made them part of his elite team. Since they hadn’t been seen in public for a number of years, they felt if was okay to leave the safety of Antarctica to do some needed research themselves. McKay hadn’t fully trusted anyone else with the task. 

They were torn apart in a settlement much like the one Melburn had been working. John had fought to the death even after his bullets ran out. The SGC had been pondering punishment for the settlement when Walker’s elite troops had taken care of the problem. Nearby settlements reported the sound of trucks rumbling in, and then gunfire that seemed to last a very long time. They had eliminated every man, woman, and child. Walker hadn’t wanted McKay and Sheppard killed; he’d wanted them whole and healthy enough to work. The government had been having problems finding enough quality scientists willing to trade their ethics for the easy life. Zelenka had been taken at the height of the scientist kidnappings and held for nearly a year now.

John knew he would die without hesitation to protect the man in his arms. He let his lips brush the nape of Rodney’s neck; the skin so soft and tender and vulnerable, it made John ache.

Rodney suddenly shifted in his arms, and turned to face him, his big capable hand cupping John’s face. “Are we finally doing this?”

John lowered his eyes briefly before looking into Rodney’s wide blue eyes. “Yeah, I think we are.”

“DADT’s been gone for awhile, John. Why now? Is it this place?” Rodney asked softly.

“Partly," John whispered. “I never gave a crap about the regs, Rodney. It was me, my own denial. But mostly, it’s you. I’m getting tired of seeing what my denial is doing to you.”

“I’ve been waiting a long time, John.”

John leaned just a little, and softly kissed Rodney’s wide mouth. “I know, and I’m sorry.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I’d like to wait until we get back home,” Rodney said.

“I agree. I’d - - I’d like to do things right. Take you out on a date,” John admitted.

Rodney gave John a lopsided smile. “I don’t need to be romanced, Sheppard.”

“No, you don’t need it, but you do deserve it,” John told him.

Blushing, McKay began blustering to hide how pleased he was. “Did you decide what we’re going to do here?”

“Actually, I did.” John outlined his plan. “I want them to find our universe before we agree to anything. If they do that, I’ll be more inclined to trust them. Then you do the work. We’ll give them the address for Atlantis, and tell them about the Wraith, and the Ori and hope like hell they’ll give us a ZPM.”

“Do you think they’ll go for it?”

“We won’t know until we ask. The bigger question is, what do we do if you can’t fix the tech?” John voiced his concern.

“We help supply them with whatever they need for the outposts, or we take a trip to Atlantis with them,” Rodney responded.

John nodded. “That could work. Let’s get started.” 

~0~

When the two men entered the large conference room, there was a palpable sense of excitement in the air. Everyone was rushing around with plates of food, smiling, and throwing friendly greetings their way.

Daniel, taking a large cake from his mother to set on the table took a few minutes to let them know what was going on. “Our prodigals will be here any minute. We haven’t seen them for a year, so we’re a little excited,” Daniel said, before rushing away again.

John and Rodney stayed out of the way as best they could, the odors of the various dishes awaking their appetites. It was still morning, but there was a lot more on the table than just breakfast.

Jack walked in with Jeannie and Janet clinging to him, Kaleb holding on to Janet’s hand. Jeannie let out a small scream, and the rest of their team, who had been bustling around, engulfed her, Janet, and Kaleb. Claire and Melburn looked at the group fondly. They had acted as parental figures to the entire unit, and were willing to wait their turn.

Rodney and John took in the scene in stunned silence. Jeannie, Kaleb, and Janet were exchanging passionate kisses with the rest of their unit. Janet broke away from the group to exchange soft, lingering kisses with Sam. The two visitors rudely stared with their mouths agape.

Jeannie was still surrounded when Kaleb grabbed Sheppard, and then McKay in bear hugs, loudly kissing their cheeks, and ripping their attention from Sam and Janet. Rodney batted him away. “Are you crazy?”

Kaleb laughed. “It’s good to know you’re the same man even across different universes.”

Pointing with his chin at Jeannie who was being fondly cuddled by both Jack and Daniel, Rodney asked, “You don’t mind that?”

Looking puzzled, Kaleb answered. “Why would I? It’s team.”

“Huh,” Rodney grunted, turning to John. “I obviously missed that meeting.”

“You - - miss a meeting, Meredith?” came a soft inquiry from his side.

Rodney turned to see an alternate version of his sister, cataloging the differences and similarities. His sister was softer, seeming more content somehow. This woman’s eyes were flinty, and she was leaner, with a hardness to her face that spoke both of bitterness and strength. Both women were beautiful to him, and he couldn’t help but love this version of Jeannie on sight. “Actually, I’d miss them all if I could.”

Jeannie reached up for a hug, whispering, “Yeah, I know.” She struggled to hold back tears, and lost the battle when she felt Rodney’s strong arms around her slender body. “I miss my brother, damn it.”

Rodney didn’t know what to say, he just held on tight until she was ready to let go. When she stepped away from him, she moved lightly into John’s arms, kissing him gently. “I miss John also. And, no, Meredith, I’m not poaching on your territory.” 

Claire and Melburn took turns hugging Janet, Jeannie and Kaleb, and then shooed everyone to the table. The new arrivals were caught up on news, and the plans Jack had spent much of the previous night drawing up with the rest of the unit. Jeannie was anxious to get back to work on the device, while Kaleb stated he was looking forward to not having to spend an hour a day and three on Sunday on his knees in prayer. Janet looked boldly at Sam, and leered while everyone laughed, and Sam blushed.

Most of the food managed to disappear amid the talk and the laughter. People wandered in and out, grabbing a plate of food and welcoming the travelers’ home. When people began having quieter, more private conversations, John took O’Neill aside, and in a private room, gave Jack details of the Goa’uld, the Ori, the Asgard, and the Wraith. John had no explanation for why this reality didn’t seem to contain Goa’uld.

It didn’t mean the other dangers didn’t exist, however. John finally gave him the ‘gate address for Atlantis. He’d seen Rodney’s face while Jeannie was weeping on his shoulder. He would be helping this reality no matter what. The only thing he refused to compromise on was Sam finding the location of his reality before any work got started.

John finally told Jack just how important Atlantis was to the defense of his reality, and asked for one of their ZPM’s. Jack readily agreed, remarking that it was a small price to pay in return for an entire planet.

~0~

It took Rodney, Jeannie, and Sam a month before they were able to figure out how the weather changing device worked. It was an incredibly sophisticated piece of technology. His alternate had been working on it, and had kept detailed notes of his progress, which Rodney had been able to use rather than starting at the beginning. In the end, it had been Rodney’s break through that had unlocked the mysteries of the device.

They tested the device, returning the temperature for 100 square miles surrounding the facility to the norm for June. They waited a week to make sure that there were no unforeseen consequences. 

During that week, Rodney recorded a carefully crafted statement written by Daniel, emphasis heavy on the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th, and 22nd Constitutional Amendments. Recent newspapers were read out loud by Rodney as verification that he was indeed alive. He was dressed in a plain long sleeved tee shirt, and jeans. Daniel didn’t want him in a suit or BDU’s. Suits represented the government they were planning on overthrowing, and BDU’s represented the old military that Jack now headed, and that the government had taught the people to fear. 

Rodney calmly told his target audience that they could expect to have a series of people reading the Constitution over radio and television, and that copies of said Constitution would be airdropped systematically. He warned those in the exclusive enclaves to surrender peacefully to the men and women of the military.

They were promised fair trials if they were responsible for crimes against the citizens of the United States, and protection if they weren’t. Rodney was forced to record that part several times as it was difficult for him to make those promises sound sincere, and he wasn’t able get the right tone. His rage and hostility showed up every time. Left up to him, he’d leave the architects of this regime, and its supporters to the mercy of those who had suffered under their draconian rules. 

When Rodney couldn’t talk to the wealthy people living in the clean, comfortable, hi-tech areas of America, John was asked to do it. His good looks and laid back charm came off more believably, and Daniel decided to use his recordings. Playing to the fears of the populace wasn’t really the right thing to do, but the SGC needed every advantage they could get

~0~ 

The night before John and Rodney were due to be sent home, a party was thrown for them. The plans the SGC had made would begin in two days, and Jack wanted to see them safely back to their reality. Amidst the food, and the teary farewells, O’Neill presented them with a fully charged ZPM, still in its original protective casing.

John and Rodney had given the leadership of the SGC as much information as they could about Atlantis and the Wraith. In return, they were given full bios and photos of the three politicians who had caused such chaos in this reality. 

~0~

John and Rodney woke early the next morning, despite how late they had gotten to bed. They had been gone weeks, and were anxious to get home and install the ZPM. Because of several stories Jack had told about Hank Landry, they didn’t want to go through the quantum mirror on Earth, and had asked Sam to search for what she called a quantum portal somewhere in the Pegasus galaxy.

She wasn’t able to sent them back through the portal they had arrived through without taking them back to the cave. No one wanted to be take the chance of John and Rodney being seen, not when a full-blown revolution and a coup were to take place within hours.

She found a portal not too many light years from Kereth. She’d sent a probe through, and all indications pointed to an empty world. It would be up to John and Rodney to find a way back to Atlantis.

The two men took a last look at the people they were leaving, wished them luck, and stepped through the mirror.

~0~

Rodney’s scanner was out as he took various reading of the planet. John turned to the portal they had just stepped through, waved at the people of the other side before it closed down, and then whistled.

The portal was an arch, twenty feet high and built of stone. It stood on bare patch of land, surrounded by a dense tropical forest. John could hear insects buzzing and humming, and the harsh calls of birds. Shafts of sunlight burst through openings in the canopy, and the humid air felt heavy and thick. 

“Anything, Rodney?” he inquired.

“Yes, the planet is totally devoid of human or wraith. There’s a Stargate about ten klicks north,” Rodney answered.

“Let’s get on home then.” John said, smiling at the man by his side.

~0~

John was in his dress blues, and Rodney in a grey suit when they stepped through the Stargate and onto the ramp in the gateroom at the SGC. They had very carefully decided what information they would be giving the SGC during their debrief. If General O’Neill wasn’t in the mountain, the information they had would be passed on to Doctor Jackson or Colonel Carter.

It took them three hours to tell General Landry nothing. If the General was confused by Sheppard’s somewhat insubordinate attitude, and McKay’s outright hostility, he put it down to living on Atlantis. Landry easily dealt with Sheppard; the major was military and could only go so far before he got called on insubordination. McKay was another story, and Landry was uncomfortable with the not so thinly veiled insults and vicious attacks on his character. He decided that besides living in the ass end of the universe, McKay was just an asshole.

Daniel invited them to his house for a home cooked meal, and neither man was surprised to see General O’Neill lounging in the living room of his former home. John and Rodney were far more forthcoming with O’Neill and Jackson.

They ended up spending the night and nothing was said when Jack and Daniel retired to the master bedroom, or when John and Rodney were both put in the guestroom. Sheppard had given O’Neill the three names and that was all that mattered.

~0~

When Jack decided he wanted to run Homeworld Security out of the SGC, no one was about to tell him no. Landry, feeling his command was in jeopardy, retired. It was easy enough for Jack to pick up the reins of the SGC in addition to his other responsibilities. And he had Colonel Carter, Doctor Jackson, and Teal’c by his side to help.

~0~

The Republican presidential candidate vanished off the face of the planet practically on the eve of the election. His VP pick tried to rally, but the stink of suspicion surrounded him, ensuring he would rise no higher. The rumors that he had something to do with the disappearance of the presidential candidate began immediately. Jack made sure of it.

It was too much for the American people. The incumbent, an imperfect man to be sure, won by a landslide. His opponent slunk back to his congressional office, finished out his term, and slithered back into obscurity, a footnote in history.

The third name was more troublesome. Chase Walker was only twenty-five. He was clean cut, and handsome, and he already had an audience. An audience that loved to hear him invoke the past; an audience to whom change was frightening. He would get on the radio and rant about the liberals, the welfare queens, the homosexuals, the single mothers, the illegals, the people of foreign faith, the lies of science, and other dangers to society, and his audience ate it up, loving him for his bigotry disguised as honesty, backed up by his holy book, and protected under the First Amendment.

Walker had a plan; a plan to set America to rights, a plan on how to bring America back to the old days where white was right and deviants hid in their closets so that good, decent people didn’t have to see them, and women married first, and then stayed in the kitchen rattling those pots and pans and raised their children, and everyone accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and savior. No more of this Allah shit, or Buddha, or the Mormons, or the Catholics, and especially, no more of the Jews.

Assassination had been discussed; discussed and discarded. Walker hadn’t actually done anything yet, and it would make those orchestrating the salvation of the planet just as coldblooded and ruthless as their enemy.

Daniel, who well knew the nature of men, suggested a look at his computers might prove helpful. 

Walker was beamed into the SGC infirmary, and drugged to insure he didn’t awaken, and wouldn’t remember anything if he did. A small team was beamed into his apartment, where they searched for all of his computers. Once found, they were beamed to the SGC.

Three of the four computers contained nothing incriminating. The fourth one necessitated a request to Atlantis, and the assistance of McKay and Kusanagi. They worked diligently, unraveling the twisted and tangled paths Walker had used to hide what was on the computer. 

It turned out to be child porn, some of the nastiest, most disgusting stuff anybody at the SGC had even heard of, let alone seen. Miko became so upset, Lam had to sedate her before she’d finished. And any qualms any of them might have had about destroying the life of a kid went out the window.

While Rodney was ranting that they should’ve just put a bullet in Walker’s head, Jack was calling a friend in the FBI’s BAU unit, giving Derek Morgan details and an address. Derek promised that Walker would be taken care of within 24 hours.

Walker was beamed back into his apartment, and awoken a few hours later by loud, angry pounding at his door. When he started to yell about his constitutional rights, Derek Morgan pushed him into a chair, shoved the search warrant into his hands, and told him to shut the hell up. When Garcia found the porn, she was gagging as she nodded to Morgan.

Derek’s smile was thin and feral when he roughly slapped handcuffs onto Walker.

~0~

People were shocked when the story broke, and many of them refused to believe it - - until five children bravely broke their silence. In any case, Walker was done. He was eventually sent to prison, despite the best attorneys money could buy.

Five years into his thirty-year sentence, he was raped and strangled, despite being in protective custody. The inmate who had done it received twenty more years on his four hundred and ten year sentence, and was regarded as a hero by the other inmates and the guards alike.

~0~

Jack and Daniel had their fishing lines dangling in the pond, cold beers by their sides, their chairs pushed closely together. “Do you think we did the right thing?” Daniel asked, his hand reaching out to tangle briefly with Jack’s.

“I don’t know, Daniel. I think what we did - - all of it, was - - necessary,” Jack answered.

“ You know there’ll always be another one of him,” Daniel observed. 

“I know. But we’ll keep watch. And we’ll keep doing whatever is necessary.”

“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing?” Daniel questioned.

“Something like that,” Jack agreed.

And the two men sipped at their beer, and sat back, enjoying each other, and the beauty of a late summer day.


End file.
